But it's not like we have to dash off to meet a schedule or anything. Just planning on anchoring out near the beaches as we make the 100 mile journey towards Destin and their Thanksgiving buffet which, so I was told, we are attending.
Also found out we wont have to pay any dockage fes if our yard/repair bill exceeds $1500! What a bargain!
Wednesday November 13, 2013
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| Dog River looking out towards the entrance road |
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| The clattering check valves |
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| The dead water pump. Replacement is identical model |
We're having a canvas guy repair a few broken zippers on the fly bridge, one of which is at the joint of the top and windshield. He's also going to replace one of the windows on the sundeck which has developed an expanding crack.
Our radar problem is corrected for now by some simple adjustments to the controls, but it's heading towards failure and cant be repaired. We do have another radar set on board so its not a critical failure.
It was blowing a cold 20 mph wind yesterday afternoon and into the night the gust increased to around 40mph . We all had doubled up our lines but still spent a noisy and rocky night with all heaters running. The winds are moderating now thankfully but it's left us with a band of cold air. 40's cold. Today we're all huddled in our boats with heaters still roaring and rarely venturing out. Captive!
Our dinghy cover blew off last night so I was up on the top deck fighting against the wind to get it hauled inside. I noticed the pontoons on the dinghy were really deflated. The cold is adversely effecting everything.
Thursday November 14, 2013
Glen, the engine mechanic arrived around 9 this morning and proceeded to set our valve lash. Nice guy, a Coast Guard reservist with a delightful southern accent. Calls me Mr. George every once in while. Usually it's just sir which startles me and I catch myself looking around to see who he's taking too.
Glen took care of the starboard engine, and then ran into a problem with the port engine. He found the timing pin sheared off. He was able to extract the little plastic piece but needed to remove the starboard timing pin and use it in the port engine to set the valves. He came up with the idea of using a small piece of wood as a replacement though and took it back with him to fit the wood into the housing. Neat!
After Glen left, six of us packed ourselves into the marina F150 and drove the 10 miles to Walmart where we all stocked up on food. The Walmart is the only food store that was large enough to carry some of the more esoteric items we required. And we knew where it was located (right off I-65).
We came back and had a little cocktail party on board. It turned out to be a hors d'oeuvre dinner for most of us.
Friday November 15, 2013
Glen the mechanic returned this morning and replaced the marginal high pressure fuel line and the faulty clamp which only had a single screw instead of two. We also tried to set the idle on both engines but discovered stripped threads on one of the low speed idle adjustment screws. Luckily he was able to find another one so we got the idle speeds set to around 700 which is good.
I got the VHF antenna up and cable run through the bulkhead. Slapped a connector on and now the radio is working normally.
I'm going to have to purchase a new starboard start battery since the slow starting of the starboard engine I was noticing has gotten worse. It's not the starter according to the mechanic so another AGM group 34 battery will soon be ours. It's another joyous job of hefting a battery around a corner and into a tight fitting battery box.
While Mary when off walking with some of our cruising partners I took apart the spare water pump I had installed the other day. The tech support guy thought there would be some debris in the rubber check valves. I didn't notice any but cleaned it out anyway and put the thing back together only to realize the pump's valve housing rotated 90 degree's putting the two ports pointing in the wrong direction. So I had to disassemble the whole thing again.
And finally, like a liquid metal man, I flowed into the tiny bilge access whole and re-attached everything. Flipped the switch and ..... Yeah. Same result. So back goes that pump. I'm ordering a brand new one off the internet tonight and it should (after forking out a startling fee for express delivery) be here Monday. So we'll ultimately have three water pumps on board. Meanwhile we shuffle back and forth to the water pump breaker when we want water. Had to put the ice maker on hold too. Back to those camping skills again.
The other work we need to have completed seems to be languishing leaving us here at least until next Tuesday. But on the bright side ... well, on the dimly lit side, there is a Walmart a few miles away and the marina truck is a Ford F150 which sometimes doesn't start unless you jiggle the shifter just the right way. And we're close to the USS Alabama and some other interesting sights.
At least the TV works and they have a decent internet connection here. I might even take the time to put our new computer in service as a navigation computer. But it's 5 o'clock and time for a soothing elixir out on the sundeck where we can watch ducks frolic in the rain. Hey! Its the little things in life ....
Saturday November 16, 2013
Planning on taking a little parts buying trip to Walmart, the Cummins dealer, Batteries Plus and NAPA to purchase, food, air filters, a new starting battery and filters. What better way to spend a cloudy Saturday than driving 40 miles in a flaky truck.
As it turns out I only made it to Batteries Plus where they had a group 34 AGM battery which I bought. And yes, I have spent less for some cars I've owned over the years than what this cost us.
The owner of the place and I got into a discussion and it turns out he's from Illinois and spent many summers up on Okauchee Lake skiing in Stumpy Bay. By the time we parted it was too late to head to the NAPA store because I had to have the truck back so my anticipated errand jaunt turned out to be just a battery purchase journey. There's always Monday though so all is not lost..
Mary and I took a walk over the bridge and kibitzed with a few fellow boaters when we returned and before I started cleaning the stern of the boat. It's pretty dirty with exhaust residue and caked mud from some of our recent anchoring episodes.
I think we need one of those really big boats were other people scurry around cleaning and waiting on you. It would be so much easier.
We're having another cocktail party tonight at 5 so I guess I'll have to vacuum too. And I had to start up the ice maker so it makes ice again which means we'll have to flip the water pump breaker every half hour or so.
And of course the water pump ran a little too long and blew off the master head hot water hose again just as people began leaving. My theory is the more rum you've drunk the less painful the contortions when repairing things in impossibly small crevices.
Bad picture but trust me, it requires some flexibility beyond what can normally be expected from an aging body.
Thursday November 14, 2013
Glen took care of the starboard engine, and then ran into a problem with the port engine. He found the timing pin sheared off. He was able to extract the little plastic piece but needed to remove the starboard timing pin and use it in the port engine to set the valves. He came up with the idea of using a small piece of wood as a replacement though and took it back with him to fit the wood into the housing. Neat!
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| The beloved marina F150 |
We came back and had a little cocktail party on board. It turned out to be a hors d'oeuvre dinner for most of us.
Friday November 15, 2013
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| Curved piping in the center is the new fuel line |
I got the VHF antenna up and cable run through the bulkhead. Slapped a connector on and now the radio is working normally.
I'm going to have to purchase a new starboard start battery since the slow starting of the starboard engine I was noticing has gotten worse. It's not the starter according to the mechanic so another AGM group 34 battery will soon be ours. It's another joyous job of hefting a battery around a corner and into a tight fitting battery box.
While Mary when off walking with some of our cruising partners I took apart the spare water pump I had installed the other day. The tech support guy thought there would be some debris in the rubber check valves. I didn't notice any but cleaned it out anyway and put the thing back together only to realize the pump's valve housing rotated 90 degree's putting the two ports pointing in the wrong direction. So I had to disassemble the whole thing again.
And finally, like a liquid metal man, I flowed into the tiny bilge access whole and re-attached everything. Flipped the switch and ..... Yeah. Same result. So back goes that pump. I'm ordering a brand new one off the internet tonight and it should (after forking out a startling fee for express delivery) be here Monday. So we'll ultimately have three water pumps on board. Meanwhile we shuffle back and forth to the water pump breaker when we want water. Had to put the ice maker on hold too. Back to those camping skills again.
The other work we need to have completed seems to be languishing leaving us here at least until next Tuesday. But on the bright side ... well, on the dimly lit side, there is a Walmart a few miles away and the marina truck is a Ford F150 which sometimes doesn't start unless you jiggle the shifter just the right way. And we're close to the USS Alabama and some other interesting sights.
At least the TV works and they have a decent internet connection here. I might even take the time to put our new computer in service as a navigation computer. But it's 5 o'clock and time for a soothing elixir out on the sundeck where we can watch ducks frolic in the rain. Hey! Its the little things in life ....
Saturday November 16, 2013
Planning on taking a little parts buying trip to Walmart, the Cummins dealer, Batteries Plus and NAPA to purchase, food, air filters, a new starting battery and filters. What better way to spend a cloudy Saturday than driving 40 miles in a flaky truck.
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| Our new battery |
The owner of the place and I got into a discussion and it turns out he's from Illinois and spent many summers up on Okauchee Lake skiing in Stumpy Bay. By the time we parted it was too late to head to the NAPA store because I had to have the truck back so my anticipated errand jaunt turned out to be just a battery purchase journey. There's always Monday though so all is not lost..
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| You can see our boat along the face dock on the right |
I think we need one of those really big boats were other people scurry around cleaning and waiting on you. It would be so much easier.
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| Party! |
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| The thin white hose is the line I have to re-attach |
Bad picture but trust me, it requires some flexibility beyond what can normally be expected from an aging body.
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